Folding machine for the manufacture of paperboard boxes and the like



SHERMAN July 22, w. D. Er AL 2,844,078

FOLDING MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPERBOARD BOXES AND THE LIKE AFiled July 15, 1953 .'5 Sheets-Sheet 1 SHERMAN ET A1.

July 22, 1958 w- D. 2,844,078

FOLDING MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE oF PAPERBOARD BOXES AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 13, 1953 .N s E SAR Vl RME E oRv N MME R msm m mail. m fYA ,M ZEZ mm mw.

July 22, 1958 w. D. SHERMAN ETAL 2,844,078

. ACTURE OF PAPERBOARD FOLDING MACHINE FOR THE MANUF BOXES AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet. 5

Filed July 13, 1953 INVENTORS WHITNEY D. SHERMAN BY HE/A/Z AHLMEY? A TTORNEYS lbody or the cover flange of the box.

United States PatentfO FOLDINGMACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTUR F PAPERBOARD BOXES AND THE LIKE Whitney D. Sherman, West Nyack, and Heinz Ahlmeyer,

Orangeburg, N. Y., assignors to Continental Can Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Application July 13, 1953, Serial No. 367,418

4 Claims. (Cl. 93-52) This invention relates to a machine for folding a paper board flap to break the score line between the flap and Y Summary In accordance with our invention, the machine comprises a substantially at folding sword with a diagonal edge, a member overlying the folding sword and spaced slightly therefrom, which member extends beyond the diagonal edge of the folding sword, and means for moving a paperboard body along the sword to bring a ap which extends from such body from one side of the folding sword against the diagonal edge thereof and around to the other side of the sword to be pressed against the body between the sword and the overlying member. The driving mechanism of the machine moves the paperboard body in the general direction of the score line between the body and the flap. The folding sword has a portion arranged to overlie an area of the ap outside the score line and a widened portion whose edge extends diagonally across the score line. The member which overlies the folding sword and is spaced slightly therefrom provides a channel between such member and the folding sword, through which channel the paperboard body passes during its movement in the direction aforesaid. j

What the machine does essentially is to fold a paperboard flap through substantially 180 to break the scoreline between the flap and the paperboard body from which it extends. In the machines commonly employed for this general purpose, it is necessary for the paperboard bodies to pass completely through the machine, i. e. longitudinally past the folding sword. The reason kfor this is that in such machines the flap folds around the sword in lsuch a way that the sword lies between the body yand the flap.` Thus the sword is vtrapped, so to speak, between the body and the flap, precluding removal of the ,blank until it has completely passed the folding sword in a longitudinal direction. the folding swo-rd is never trapped between the paperboard and flap; therefore it is always possible to remove the body laterally from the folding mechanism. This makes it easier to remove a damaged or torn blankfrom the machine. Also, it makes it possible to fold a series of flaps projecting from one side ofa continuous paper` board band. This feature is of particular value inthe manufacture of certain types of boxes such ashat boxes and covers `therefor of round, oval or octagonal form. In such boxes, a series of flaps project from one side of a continuous paperboard band comprising either the l By the use of our flap folding machine, it is feasible to glue the box body .or cover flange into a continuous band before `the liiaps are folded' over for pre-breaking at the score lines.

In our machine Y This would not be possible if the bands'could notbe j 'latented July 22,41958 the manufacture ofthe boxes and covers with the-use of our liapI folding machine and other apparatus. The boxes andcovers are of non-folding types, and in such a case the objective is to perform the maximum number of manufacturing. steps at kthe box makers plants so las to be able to `use the simplest form of machinery and less experienced operators at the customers plants. And, 4asrst'ated, the' useof our machine makes it possible for the box bodies and cover anges to be pre-'glued into continuous bands before they are shipped in flatfolded form to the customers.

Moreover the folding sword of our machine can be made in the form of a simple hat plate which can be manufactured at-low cost and far more veasily than the usualfolding means which require the use of elements having spiral surfaces,` compound curvature, etc. fAlso, our folding machineis much more compact lthan conventional forms of folding apparatus which 'generally depend for operation uponmovement of the paperboardr Description In the drawings we have illustrated amachine lto show the best mode contemplatedby us vof carrying, out our invention as applied to the'ap foldingror pre-breaking operation in thermanufacture of bodies and cover anges of a hat box and the like. l v Y 'l n Fig. l is a side elevational view ofthe machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the upper part of the same machine, to a Asomewhat enlarged scale'.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the maingoperatingelements of-themachine. ,f

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the foldingsword viewed from above, showing a starting position ofthe continuous band ,with the projecting flaps whichpare yto be folded for'pre-breaking `of they score line. t

Fig. 5 is asimilar view showing the condition of the aps vafter the band has moved in the direction of the arrow a distance equal to the distance between kthe center lines. of two successive'aps, j iv Fig. 6 is asimilar view showing the condition ofthe flaps after the band has moved an'l additional distance equal to the distance between the center lines of `two successive flaps. j n -Y g g Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the condition of the llaps after the band hasmoved a still further distance equalA to the distance between the center linesv of Atwo successive aps. .K

j Fig. 8 is a detail sectional -of Fig. 4. v

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view 'taken' on -the line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 10-10of,Fig 6. ,t

Fig.` 1l is a detail sectional l"view taken onthe line 11-11 of Fig. 7. v

Fig. 12 is a perspective board band of increased width suitable, forv example, vfor the body ofa hat box, and which can be `processed in the same -machine subject to minor adjustments `of the machine to accommodate thel increased width of band view taken on the line view of a continuous paper.

In Fig. 3 we see a portion of a continuous paperboardy band l, having a series of flaps Fprojecting from one side thereof. A conventional score line S defines the fold line between the flaps and the body of the band nearthe bases'of theaps.

The machine illustrated in Figs. l-3 folds the flaps F throughV substantially 180 to break the score line between the ilaps and the paperboard body B from which they extend. It comprises a frame 13 on which is mounted a bracket 14y supporting the driving mechanism for moving the paperboard body in the general direction of the `score line. S between the body and flaps. In the specific arrangement shown, this driving mechanism comprises a drive roller 15 xed to. a shaft 16 having a bearing in bracket 14 and to which is keyed a gear 17 driven by .pinion 18 fixed tofdrive shaft 19 of motor 20 mounted on frame 13. A11 idler roller 21 presses the paperboard body B against the periphery of drive roller 15 or against a rubberfacing 22k on the drive roller. Idler roller 21 is rotatably mounted near one end of a slide bar 23 which is pivotally mounted at 24 on the bracket 14. A pair of idler yrollers 2S, 26 guide the paperboard body B as it enters the machine, idler roller 25 being pivotally mounted at 27 on the bracket 14, and idler roller 26 being mounted near one end of slide bar 28 which is pivotallymounted at 29 on the bracket 14. Idler roller 26 is` provided with a flange 30 to guidey the paperboard body Bas it enters the machine;

Slide bars 23. and 28y are provided at their inner ends with slots 31 and 32, respectively, for engagement with a pin 33 xed to a bracket 34, the lower end of which is pivotally attached at 35 to la cross bar 36, one end of which is pivotally attached at 37l to frame 13, the other end of which is pivotally attached at 3S to the upper end of a bar 39. The lower end of the bar 39 is pivotally attached at 40 to a lever 41 which in turn is pivotally attached at 42'to the rear of frame 13. A foot treadle 43iixed to lever 41, when depressed, pivots the slide bars 23 and 28 to raise idler rollers 21 and 26 for insertion and removal of the paperboard body B at the beginning and conclusion of the folding operation. Foot treadle 43 is 'normally held in its elevated position with the idler rollersv v21 and 26 pressed against drive roll'er 15 and idler roller 25, respectively, by the action of'spring.44,`the upper end of which is secured to the frame 13, and the lower end of which is secured to the lever 41. Y

'In addition to the driving mechanism which has been described, the machine comprises a folding sword 45 shown in detail in Fig. 4, having a portion 46 arranged to overlie an area of one or more of the aps F outside the score lline S, and a widened-portion 47 whose edge 48 extends diagonally across the score line S, and Ia member 49 (Fig. 2; also seenin dot dash outline in Fig. 3) overlyingy folding sword 45 and spaced slightly therefrom to provide achannel 50 (Figs. 8-11) between the member 49 and folding Vsword 45. The paperboard body passes through channel 50 during its movement in the direction of score line S, i. e. in the direction of arrow T (Figs.4-7). Member 49, as will be seen from Fig. 3,- extends beyond the diagonally extending edge 48 of the folding sword to overlie at least a portion of the paperboard body as the latter enters channel 50. Folding sword 45 and the overlying member 49 are suitably mounted on bracket 14 as'by means of angle brackets 51.

OperationV In the operation ofthe machine which has been described, the drive roller 15` may be driven continuously. The operator depresses treadle 43, raising idler rollers 21 and 26,'whereupon hev inserts the-continuous band B between the idler rollers,`and the idler and drive rollers. In so doinghe guides the band into channel 50 ybetween folding sword 45 and overlying member 49. However, toward the right-hand end of the folding sword, the

4 band is permitted to drop down against the idler roller 25 `so that some of the ilaps F underlie the sword. Thus, in the portion of the band which is shown in Fig. 4, the portion 46 of the sword overlies several of the aps.

However, the four ilaps at the left extend into the chanbrought against the diagonal edge 48 and around to the upper side' of the sword to be pressed against the body B between the sword and the overlying member 49. Thus We have provided in combination a folding sword 45 in the form of a substantially flat plate having a narrow portion 46 and a widened portion 47 whose edge 48 extends diagonally outward from the narrow portion, and means for moving the paperboard body B over the widened portion while pressing it against the upper surface of the folding sword and bringing the tlaps F extending from the paperboard body first against the lower surface of the folding sword 45 and then against its upper surface as the flap is drawn over the diagonally extending` edge of the folding sword. The body is drawn into the channel 50 with the flaps folded against the body so that after all of the flaps have been folded and the foot treadle is again depressed, the continuous band can be removed laterally from the channel Sil by simply pulling it forward toward the operator. This completes the operation.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, we shall describe the operation of the folding sword in somewhat more detail. |In Fig. l4 is will be observed that the specific one of the flaps F which is designated in lower case f, underlies the folding sword. In Figs. 5 `and 9, the paperboard body B-has moved to the left a distance equal to the distance between the center lines of two adjacent ilaps. At this point'the leading edge of flap f is drawn upwardly lagainst the diagonally extending edge 48 of the sword which exerts a leverage, forcing flap int-o the position best seen in Fig 9. kIn Fig. 6, the body B as advanced to the left a further distance equal to the distance between the center lines of two adjacent ilaps, drawing flap f ag-ainst diagonal edge 43 of the sword into the position best seen in Fig. l0. In Fig. 7, the body B has advanced another increment of distance equal to that betweenV the center lines of two adjacent aps, at which point flap F has been drawn between the upper surface of the lsword yand the lower surface of `the overlying member 49 so that the iiap is pressedl against the body as best seen in Fig. ll.

`In the views of the drawings thus far described, the band B is relatively narrow and is suitable for use as the flange of a cover of the box; Fig. 12 shows a wider band suitable for use as the body of a box. This band may be processed with the use of the same folding sword 45 and overlying member 49, as has been described. It is desirable, however, to replace rollers 21, 22, 25 and 26 with rollers of greater width in order properly to support and guide the wider band. In operation of the machine the Ioutward reactionto the pressure of 4the flaps against the diagonally extending edge 48 of the folding sword tends to urge the outer edge of the band or other paperboard body .against flange 30 of roller 26, or `against the ange of such wider roller Ias may be substituted for roller 26 in order to accommodate bands of greater widths.

While we have described our invention with particular reference to itsV application to folding a series of aps projecting fromy one side of za :continuous paperboard body, it will be understood that it 'is applicable also to folding one `or more flaps projecting from other forms of paperboard bodies orr blanks regardless of whether such bodies or blanks are formed into continuous bands. In any case, it is possible with our apparatus for the paperboard blanks or other paperboard -bodies or bands to be introduced laterally through the open side of the channel between the folding sword and the overlying member, and also to be removed latenally from said channel.

The terms and expressions which we have employed are used in a descriptive and not a limiting sense, and we have no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described, or of portions thereof, as fall within the purview of the claims.

We claim:

1. A machine for folding a series of flaps projecting from one side of a continuous paperboard band to break the score line between the aps and the body of the paperboard band, which comprises driving mechanism for moving the paperboard band in a `direction parallel to said score line, a folding -sword in the form of a substantially at untwisted plate having a portion arranged to overlie an larea of the flaps outside the score line and a widened portion whose edge extends diagonally across the score line, said first-named portion of the sword lying entirely outside the path of movement of the score line so that the continuous paperboard band can be introduced laterally with unfolded lflaps extending above the widened portion of the sword and other unfolded aps extending below said first-named portion of the sword.

2. A machine according to claim 1 in which said driving mechanism is arranged to move said band in a generallycircular path, bringing unfolded aps up from below said Erst-named portion of the folding sword.

3. A machine according to claim l in which said driving mechanism includes ta anged wheel for holding the paperboard band after it has been introduced laterally with unfolded aps extending Iabove and below the sword yas described.

4. A machine according to claim l in which said driving mechanism includes a hanged wheel for holding the paperboard band after it has been introduced laterally with unfolded aps extending above and below the sword :as described, and in which said driving mechanism is arranged to move said band in .a generally circular path, bringing unfolded flaps up from below said first-named portion of the folding sword.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,868,572 Hall July 26, 1932 1,936,521 Oliver et al Nov. 21, 1933 2,236,252 Spangler n Mia-r. 25, 1941 2,538,564 Jensen et al Ian. 16, 1951 

